Happy New Year. It’s the Year of the Rabbit for us Asian Americans, according to our 12 animal zodiac calendar. Why 12 animals? Legend has it that the Emperor of China conducted a race to see which animal was the fastest, and this is the order of their arrival at the finish line:
rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep/goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig.
Every twelve year cycle the animal repeats, so 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, as it was 12 years ago in 2011, and in 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927 …and those born in their respective year somehow exhibit the characteristics of their animal. My father was born in the year of the rabbit, and he was sometimes mild and hesitant, like a bunny.
Join the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center as they celebrate the new Year of the Rabbit on January 14 and 21 –see the event flyers below. Chinese New Year varies each year, but not so for us Japanese who celebrate the start of the New Year on January 1st. So Happy New Year of the Rabbit 2023.
